Why May Ball is severely underrated

Aberystwyth University’s May Ball has a bad reputation amongst many students, but the truth is that it is probably the most underrated party of the academic year.

If you have gone to the last few May balls you will know that many things have changed this year. The music was better, the set up smarter, and the atmosphere more relaxed than in the past. Overall, people should stop slating May Ball. Here’s why.

You get to actually dance to good music

Let’s not kid ourselves. Most people only go to Yoko’s because there is no other place to go or because they don’t fancy the jungle/dub step rave parties at the Angel.

Usually, it can even be a fun night, but eventually you always get annoyed with either the shitty music or the sweaty drunk people around you.

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This year’s May Ball featured a silent disco where everybody could pick music from different channels and had a laugh. The atmosphere reduced stress levels instead of heightening it because some drunk girl spilled her cheap VK all over you while grinding on a fresher.

For those who love their house music, Black House returned to the Union main room too. May Ball dancing is all about relaxing and forgetting about exams when it is most needed. What’s not to like about it?

It’s like being at a posh mini-festival

No time for adulting.

Aber has a lovely little music scene, but it’s not London and the occasional Newton Faulkner concert once in a blue moon can’t make up for the fact that the next big venues are hours away in Cardiff or Birmingham.

Whether you like Everything Everything or not, having a little dance with your favourite people in the Arts Centre is always special. That’s particularly true when you’re in third year and feel graduation coming up in those exact halls in which you are now shaking it off without a worry about the far away future. All the more reason to come along and enjoy some time off adulting for a whole night.

To glam up for a night is totally worth it

This year, black tie was not a strict requirement to enter the May Ball grounds. This led to people feeling absolutely comfortable wearing suit and tie, prom dresses, or just t-shirt and jeans.

Because the atmosphere didn’t feel as strict as the years before, the party turned out to be one full of very handsome looking women and men. Don’t get me wrong, I love fancy dress just as much as the next person, but wearing a superhero outfit is more standard in Aber than a dress and heels. Who doesn’t like to dress up nicely just for fun?

We don’t get many fun fairs around Aber

True, the rides are not the most exciting ones you can find, but bumper cars are always good fun and being tipsy while doing it makes it all the more special for a rural place like Aber.

Rides are included in the ticket price and the waiting times are easily bearable. May Ball happens right before exam period starts. Students are all stressed and don’t get to go out and do fun stuff because the library sucks all the life out of you for about a month. The May Ball gives you exactly what you need desperately to keep going during those last weeks of term: Fun.

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The food is first class – sorry Hollywood Pizza

Most students love their regular nightly detour to Istanbul Kebab, Hollywood Pizza, or the famous Marco’s. But it does not happen too often that you get to eat the best burgers and pasta you can get in town right by the dance floor to keep your energy levels going.

Even vegetarians can find something but the standard cheesy chips for one night. But that’s just the cherry on top of the May Ball cake.